Business Info - issue 141

01732 759725 41 magazine APP UPDATE Been there, spent that Revolut for Business has launched a new Expense Management tool to simplify the expenses process for small businesses, whilst also updating its Revolut for Business app to enable employees to upload receipts and receive reminders for missing information. Available to business customers on paid plans, the tool lets managers monitor expenses in real-time and approve or reject them, including team expenses. A useful new feature is integration with Xero, which enables users of the small business accounting platform to sync expenses with their Xero accounts, using the same categories, and automate reconciliation. Businesses that don’t use Xero can create their own categories within the Expense Management tool and export expenses as a CSV file. www.revolut.com/business App takes the strain Virgin Trains is hoping to improve customer satisfaction levels with the launch of two apps designed to improve information sharing during times of disruption. Back on Track, co-created by ServiceNow, connects frontline staff with teams behind the scenes to ensure staff have accurate, up-to- date information to pass on to customers, such as advice about alternative routes and ticket acceptance. Making use of the same data, the second app, Track ‘n’ Travel, enables customers to review their journey pre- and post-departure in real time. Virgin Trains estimates that the apps could halve the number of calls to inbound teams and cut the time needed to resolve incidents by at least 20 minutes. https://track-travel.virgintrains.co.uk/ APP UPDATE Exercise away the pain Kaia is a medically approved app designed to help office workers combat back pain caused by bad posture and sedentary lifestyles. Developed by digital therapy company Kaia Health in conjunction with physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgeons and clinical psychologists, the Kaia back pain app offers a combination of video exercises, education, physiotherapy and psychological strategies. For motivation or answers to exercise-related questions, there is also the option to chat online with a physiotherapist or sports scientist. The Kaia app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play with a 7-day free-trial. www.kaiahealth.com Local jobs for local people New job matching app Hela Job brings together business owners in need of local, part-time workers and job seekers looking for jobs in their neighbourhood. Founder and CEO Ioannis Antypas said: “While most job apps help companies find workers around the world, we help companies find workers around the corner.” Launched first in London before rolling out to other UK cities, the smartphone app offers real-time tracking to show when a new employee is on the way; built-in messaging; one-click job requests and acceptances; advanced scheduling for peak hours, emergency cover or holiday cover; and 24/7 support for employers and job seekers. App user Sia Tehrani, who works part-time at a London coffee shop, said: “I like the freedom the app gives me.When I want to work, I’ll turn it on and make myself available.When I don’t want to work, I’ll turn it off. I’m in charge of my work schedule and I love it!”. The Hela Job Seeker app is available for Android and iOS. www.helajob.com Divert and collect Consumer delivery company Hermes has launched an iOS/Android app giving online shoppers more visibility, choice and control over how they receive their parcels. With the Hermes app, users can track the progress of deliveries and, if necessary, divert parcels in transit to a neighbour, to a safe place or, later in the year, to a ParcelShop or locker. The app can also be used by online shoppers to book a return and by merchants to book deliveries, generate shipping labels and arrange courier collection or drop-off at a ParcelShop. The app prepares the ground for the roll-out of Hermes Play, which will enable the sender of a parcel to connect with the recipient through a personal video message. The sender will be able to use the app to record and upload a file that can be opened by scanning a 2D barcode upon delivery. Phio first, humans second EQL, part of the Google Cloud for Startups Programme, has launched an AI- driven triage tool for musculo-skeletal (MSK) conditions that reduces the need for costly human intervention and offers an alternative to telephone-based and remote physiotherapy services. The app, due to undergo clinical validation by the University of Birmingham, features a chatbot, called Phio, that uses AI and machine learning to adapt its behaviour to every user, absorb knowledge and develop a ‘personality’. Algorithms guide users to the appropriate pathway: urgent care for those with ‘red flag’ symptoms; face-to-face care for those not suited to self-managed care; and a Digital Injury Management option, following later in the year, for those with low-grade injuries.